Sandra, did you try just rotating the bars upwards? You just loosen the bolts on the stem faceplate a little, and rotate the bars up so that the brake hoods are essentially closer to the bike. I had to do that when I got my bike. Made a big difference...

Also, some of it is just getting used to the new position. I would put in some miles before making drastic changes. I'm not saying that the bike definitely doesn't need changes, but you need to wait until you're sure that it's not all just a matter of getting used to it. Also stretch your legs, arms, and back thoroughly before getting *every ride* on the bike. I just made the transition from a hybrid to a road bike. The first few days I was petrified thinking I'd made a big mistake. But, then suddenly I felt comfortable! It requires a little more flexibility (hence the stretching recommendation). Try also to not tense up on the bike. That was a big problem for me.