Use
File.Exists
to check if the file is already there. If it isn't, you're good to go.
If it is, then use Directory.GetFiles to find all the "used suffix" file names:
Dim files As String() = Directory.GetFiles(destPath, filenameWithoutExtension & "_*")
You can then find the "latest" and generate your new name.
I'd strongly suggest that you use numbers instead of letters: what are you going to do when you find "file1_z" already exists? Using numbers instead:
file1.txt
file1.00001.txt
file1.00002.txt
...
Is a lot simpler to work with in the long run.