I You are using office 97 there is no way (I was posting here a bunch of heart-rending threads but nobody knows).
The one way is to open file from word w/o Automation & delete all merge info. Not to delete the MERGEFIELDS but in dialog that appears You choose DELETE ALL MERGE INFO)
In bigger versions of office
oWord.DisplayAlerts = 0
oWord.Visible = .f.
... Your code here to open main document & DataSouce
oWord.Visible = .t.
Against Stupidity the Gods themselves Contend in Vain - Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller
The only thing normal about database guys is their tables.