Table of contents creation deletes text of entire document

Every time I try to create a TOC for the document I'm working on, InDesign either tells me the TOC has been updated — in which case the entire text of the document has just disappeared — or else it loads the cursor and gives me nothing but the title "Contents". Am I doing something obviously wrong?
(I've already done the IDML round-trip and the delete preferences.)
Thanks! — Jeremy

Thanks, Uwe.
When I initially created the TOC, I put it into a separate story, and the TOC was empty — but the main text (which is in another single story) remained. Then when I updated the TOC, the main story was replaced with the word "Conents" (same as the TOC).
So I have no clue what's going on either! It must be some sort of file corruption not repaired by the IDML round-trip. Your own bafflement suggested that file corruption was the problem rather than some silly mistake I was making.
However, great news: I made a new document, pasted the main story into it, and now everything seems to be working in this new document.
Many thanks again for your help, especially since I foolishly posted my question in the wrong forum.

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