from odf import text, teletype
from odf.opendocument import load

textdoc = load("my document.odt")
allparas = textdoc.getElementsByType(text.P)
print teletype.extractText(allparas[0])

text.Change()

textdoc = load("myfile.odt")
texts = textdoc.getElementsByType(text.P)
s = len(texts)
for i in range(s):
    old_text = teletype.extractText(texts[i])
    new_text = old_text.replace('something','something else')
    new_S = text.P()
    new_S.setAttribute("stylename",texts[i].getAttribute("stylename"))
    new_S.addText(new_text)
    texts[i].parentNode.insertBefore(new_S,texts[i])
    texts[i].parentNode.removeChild(texts[i])
textdoc.save('myfile.odt')