Why Can't I Save Changes After An Error?

I previously posted this in one of the other forums, but now believe this to be of a more general nature, and am still without a satisfactory explanation or any workaround:

I'm working on a new database with Access 2003, using the 2002-2003 file format. While debugging a VBA code module in the VB editor, whenever I get a runtime error something strange happens - I stop the debugger, correct the code and attempt to save my changes, and Access displays the message "Microsoft Office Access can't save design changes or save to a new database object because another user has the file open. To save your design changes or to save to a new object, you must have exclusive access to the file." It then persists in denying me the ability to save ANYTHING until I close the VB editor, close the Access application, and then start over again. In fact, there is no other user - all other machines on the network are turned off, and no other instances of Access or the VB editor are open.

Needless to say, this is slowing my development efforts to a crawl, and I'm totally stumped by it - I never remember running into this problem in years of working with Access 97 (where I can hit errors, stop execution, make any needed corrections to code or other objects, and re-run the application, without having to exit). I'm running this on a P4 3.4 GHz box with 1 GB of RAM. Going into Tools, Options, Advanced and switching the "Default open mode" between Shared and Exclusive makes no difference.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.