Symbicort and Advair are combination inhalers with both the LABA and the steriod components.
It *is* confusing.
Way back when I was resisting all sorts of meds (read: "in denial"), I wanted to stop the steriod component because I was worried that it might depress my immune system--which wasn't behaving well as far as I could tell--and steriods are known to do that a bit.
So, I asked my pulmo if I could just do the LABA morning and night, instead of albuterol all day long. He said no. Eventually, I switched from albuterol all day to symbicort because, like I mentioned before, the Condition Care Nurse for my husband's company was harassing me to use an inhaled steriod in addition to the bronchodilator.
I have no regrets about switching. I rarely have the on and off tightness throughout the day that used to have. When I have some stuck mucus, I still get a little twitchy in the airways, but that is an improvement.