Devil's Ivy does tend to lose leaves further up on the stem and get that straggly look. I have one that lives in the window over the bathtub and every 3-4 years it develops into bare stems about 5 ft long, with nice bunches of leaves at the ends. I cut it way back, and new growth buds out and in a few months it looks full again. I usually root the cuttings and make new plants to give away.