Hi Jim,

There are 2 styles of waterbeds, softsides and hardsides.  Softsides look like regular mattresses and are as expensive as conventional mattresses.  I have a hardside that basically is a wood frame with the water bladder inside.  My mattress cost less then $500.00  and the frame itself that I bought online was $500.00.

I have a Dreamweaver waterbed that can be found online.  Like I described before, it has extra fiber in lumbar area so there is no hammocking.  It is considered 99% waveless, so no wave action. Was your waterbed the old style full motion ones?  When I laid on this bed for the first time I didn't even know it was a waterbed, awesome pressure relief for my bad shoulders. The full motion waterbeds won't give you the lumbar support that the waveless ones will so I think it would be better for your back. But then again there are people with bad backs that like the full motion, so go figure.

PM me if you want some more detailed info. 

Hey Floats, is your - or are all - waterbed made from Vinyl?

I ask because I recently read an article somewhere on the net about how vinyl off-gasses a bad chemical and is not healthy and I got rid of everything vinyl in our apartment. Maybe I'm just paranoid, but I have allergies and asthma so try to keep away from things that off-gas chemicals or odors.