How to reset internal column count after deleting fields (or editing a field property) VB6

Hello Experts -
I have VB6 application that adds/deletes/modifies-properties of fields in an Access database (.mdb).
When a field is either deleted or modified, the internal column count doesn't reset.
I've run DBEngine.CompactDatabase in my VB6 code and this still doesn't clear the internal column count.
(Opening the d/b and manually running C/R does clear the internal column count.)

The result is I'm getting the 'too many fields' error when I attempt to add another field - even though there are physically < 255 fields

Is there a way to reset the internal column count programatically?
Else: I use the following code to delete/modify a field. Are there other ways to do this that will decrement the column count as well as delete/modify the field?

To Delete:
Set tdfDelete = dbDelete.TableDefs(sTable)
   ' Create and append field.
    With tdfDelete
        On Error Resume Next
        '02.27.14 to remove the index if it exists on this field
        Dim intI As Integer
        For intI = .Indexes.Count - 1 To 0 Step -1
            Debug.Print .Indexes(intI).Name
            If .Indexes(intI).Name = sFieldName Then
                .Indexes.Delete .Indexes(intI).Name
                Exit For
            End If
        Next intI
        '02.27.14 done
        .Fields.Delete sFieldName
    End With


Set tdfDelete = Nothing

dbDelete.Close
Set dbDelete = Nothing

To Modify property:
Set tdf = db.TableDefs(sTable)
    With tdf
        For iCount = 0 To .Fields.Count - 1
            If UCase(.Fields(iCount).Name) = UCase(sField) Then
                If .Fields(iCount).AllowZeroLength Then
                    'nuttin
                Else
                    .Fields(iCount).AllowZeroLength = True
                End If
                Exit For
            End If
        Next iCount
   
    End With
       
    Set tdf = Nothing

Thanks