APEX URL Issue

Have an issue with a URL which I am invoking from outside APEX and trying to set a page item, for example;

'https://apex.oracle.com/pls/apex/f?p=999:5:::::P5_ITEM:222'

which should set page item P5_ITEM on page 5 to 222 in app 999

This works fine if I have a APEX Developer session open and I am redirected to page 5 after the login page.

However, if I don't have a Developer session open, the page item does not get set and I'm directed to page 1 after the login page. I know I can change the Home page in Shared Components, but this doesn't get around the setting of the page item issue.

Any help would be apprciated.

Thanks,

Naeem