How does a standing desk represent a loss of desk surface space? Unless you're talking about one of those tiny podium-style desks, which, yeah, you may find yourself resenting.
I've used a sit-stand setup for about 4 years now and will never go back. My neck, back, and wrist pain are significantly reduced. Note that a standing desk alone will NOT suffice. Neither sitting not standing for extended periods is particularly healthy or comfortable.
Always make sure that whatever height desk you use, you're rising your monitor to an appropriate height above the desk surface to allow you to look straight ahead at it instead of downwards. This is especially important with laptops, but even external monitors tend to be too low by default. With a laptop, use an external keyboard and mouse whenever you're at your own desk, and put the laptop itself on a riser.
Previously I used two risers on top of a normal height desk. When sitting I would put the laptop on the low riser and the keyboard and mouse on the desk. When standing, the laptop would go on the upper riser and the keyboard on the lower one.
I finally got a hydraulic desk, and love it. I never could find a riser quite tall enough to raise a laptop quite to eye level atop a normal height desk. And I'm not very tall.
There's more space to spread out the keyboard and mouse even when standing. It's also easier to set up an external monitor to work at both heights. Not cheap but totally worth the investment.
